Winexpert Nebbiolo + sugar = 1.13 ish s.g.

What have I done? My kit came with no instructions, so I found Jack kellers extended kit instructions online. He suggests adding 20oz. of sugar to a kit to get the s.g. up to around 1.095. I added 14oz. then juice and water and the s.g. is way high. It maxes out my refracto-meter.
Measure first and then add you say? Pfft.. Has anyone done this? Will it be like some sort of throat singeing nightmare fuel? Am I going to have to age this for a year or more? Would that even help? So many questions here and so much time until I have the answers.

 

Unless you want a sweet high abv wine I would water down the must untill you get to 1.100. ( I use a hydrometer, not sure on the convertion for a refractometer, if any!) Using water will dilute the flavor a little, but you will be adding the least amount. Using a compatable juice will also add more suger but will add flavor. You will need to add about twice the volume of juice as you will water.
Tast it now and after you water it down. If no difference in flavor then no need to do anything else. If it has a thin or watery flavor you may need to add a flavor pack at the end or a can of frozen juice concentrate. Either as a flavor pak or backsweetning or the finel days of fermenting and have a slightly high abv wine.
What yeast will you be using?


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I have used Lalvin RC-212. I never thought to water it down a bit. I did reserve a couple of bottles in the fridge before I pitched the yeast. I guess I will let the fermentation settle down a bit and then give it a try. I suppose there is not a great need to do this right away?

 

If your must ferments dry it will have an abv of about 18%. Lavin 212 goes up to 16%. If you like a sweet wine leave it be. However if you want a dry wine I would add a little water now befor the yeast gets stressed. Take a sg reading, then add water untill it goes down a .010-.020 points. That will leave you at the higher end of the yeast tolerance. It will be much easier to ferment dry now then it will be to restart fermentaion after the yeast gets stressed and dies off.
Remember to use nutriants. Maybe even a little extra to help the yeast finnish.


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Thanks for the advice Jensmith.

 

Your're welcome


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